VanDread: Forgotten Memories
by TeutonicGuardian
Summary: What happens to our friends after the end of the 2nd Stage? What starts with a 'cryptic' Dream, may as well turn out to be a window to the past. New allies and foes wait for the Nirvana, which is about to embark on another adventure!
1. Prologue: Dreams

**VanDread: Forgotten Memories**

Hello Guys! I thought I'd give it a try to write a VanDread fic, which has been lurking around my mind for quite some time now.

The story takes place after the men and Dita return from Taraak.

Some characters may turn out OOC, but I hope I'll get the hang of that.

Please, Read and Review!

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**Prologue: Dreams**

"_You are, what you are... but you are not, what you think you are... you are incomplete. You do not know, what you are, but you need to remember. Remember the past you have forgotten, the people you've lost, the battles you have fought... Seek them! Seek the Crystals of Emeran, which carry the mark of your existence, to remember what you have forgotten. Seek the Obsidian Crystal of Mn'tha, to regain your strength... Hurry, earthborn! Or the future will fall into darkness."_

Hibiki awoke with a start, his heart beating fast and loud, his breath going ragged, his whole body shaking, sweat running from every pore of his body. Slowly, he looked around the room he was in, trying to calm himself down. His gaze was blurry, so he could not make out many things in the pitch-black room he was lying in.

It took him nearly two minutes, to calm down and his gaze to turn normal. He reached up to hold his head with one of his hands, as if he expected it to turn too heavy within a few seconds. Looking around in his room again, he finally managed to make out the more than spartan interior of the room, a wave of relief washing over his body, that he no longer was in that horrible place, where he had been in his dream.

The boy, pushing the blanket of himself, swung his legs to the side and sat up at the edge of his bed, his head again resting on his hands, as he tried to figure what exactly had just happened to him. But, no matter how hard he tried, he did not reach a conclusion. Finally deciding that neither thinking, nor going back to sleep would help him now, Hibiki Tokai stood up and got dressed.

With his destination in mind, he approached the door, which opened swiftly, then turned towards the left and headed for the elevator. Once he reached the elevator, it didn't take him long to reach the hangar, and walk up towards his "partner", the Paksis manipulated Vanguard he piloted, and easily the most powerful Close-Combat-Craft they had aboard the Nirvana, that is, if you ignored VanDread Dita's weaponry, and VanDread Meia's high-velocity ram.

However, before he could reach his Vanguard, the hangar doors opened again, and a new voice spoke up.

"Couldn't sleep as well?" the blue haired Dread Team Leader known as Meia Gisborn asked the boy, as she entered the hangar.

"No... well.. at least not until.." Hibiki started, but was interrupted by Meia within the second.

"A strange dream?" she asked, observing the boy as he stiffened, then sighed "It's similar to last time, isn't it? When we all had that same dream?"

He blinked a few times, then nodded, slowly "Yeah... but that voice... that wasn't the Paksis... What was that all about anyway?"

The dread leader crossed her arms, thinking for a moment "I'm not too sure, I remember a blur of images, and I think the voice said something about lost memories... One thing is clear, however."

"Huh?" was Hibiki's intelligent reply, as he waited for Meia to continue.

"That voice... was talking about you."

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Okay, so much for the little Prologue.

What is that meaning of the words Hibiki and Meia heard?

Why is it only Meia, who joins Hibiki at the Hangar?

R&R please!

Until next time!


	2. Contact

**VanDread: Forgotten Memories**

And here we go with the first chapter!

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**Chapter 1: Contact**

_Emeran, Galagar System, over 100 years ago_

A groan escaped the man's dry lips, as he dragged himself closer to the shadow of an nearby rock, one of the few things around, that weren't sand, or trying to kill you. His body shook violently, as he started to cough, blood spilling out of his mouth, and soaking the interior of his helmet. Having lost a great deal of his strength, the arm that he had used to drag himself forward, gave in and the man collapsed to the ground.

The man let loose a cry of agony, as sand entered the wound on his chest. Everything that had happened, had been his fault, he knew that. The large wound he had suffered, his comrades death by the hands of the enemy, possibly even the loss of a whole fleet, if he would not be able to reach them via comm.

Gritting his teeth, he decided to put all of his remaining strength into his final task, and started to drag himself towards the rock again. Slowly but surely, he approached it, and finally, after some more agonizing minutes, reached the rock which offered protection from the hot sunlight. His arm reached up to grab a hold of the rock somewhere, and eventually, he managed to pull himself into a sitting position, turning to lean his back against boulder.

Once he had done that, his armored hand went to his right hip, where a small bundle was attached to his body-armor. He detached it, and placed it on his lap, before reaching up to his helmet, touching a certain place that would activate the distress beacon that was common with this kind of armor, then let his hand fall down to the side. The only thing left for him to do, was waiting. Aside of the energy blades embedded in the gauntlets, he was unarmed, and with his right shoulder immovable, and the large hole in his chest, there was no way he could fight off his enemies, if they were to reach him first. Too much of these _bugs_ venom had entered the wound, weakening the soldier to the point of near death.

"God..." he muttered "please... let the alliance troops reach me... before... the circle troops... do..."

Finally, the man's body gave in to exhaustion, and his eyes slid close as he lost consciousness.

On the far horizon, from the edge of the forest of which the soldier had come, a large shadow appeared. As it stepped out of the shadow of the woods, it took a distinct shape. An about 4 meters long, and 2 meters tall, four-legged insectoid, with a pincer-like mandible. Two red eyes on the side of it's head scanned the area ahead, until they fixed on a boulder in the distance.

A terrifying screech followed, as it called upon it's allies, having found what they were looking for. Soon, the edge of the forest was swarmed by more and more insectoids, waiting there impatiently, until a larger one appeared, part of it's body seemingly covered by metal. An armored and armed figure sat on top of it's head, taking out binoculars, to search the direction the first bug, as these insectoids were commonly called, had indicated. For a few moments, the bugs stopped all activity, until the humanoid being put away the binoculars, and raised it's voice.

"You found him... go. Kill him." a feminine voice said, a sadistic smile spreading behind the visor of the helmet.

Dozens, if not hundreds of screeches filled the air, as the bugs that had gathered at the forest's edge, charged out into the wasteland, heading for a single boulder, and the person resting in it's shadow.

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_Nirwana briefing room, Taraak and Mejere System, Present_

"... and that was everything. After that, the world turned black, and I heard this voice speaking." Meia said "But I find that somewhat strange. The last time, we at least _knew_ where each other was... but this time, I couldn't see any of the others."

Currently, she, BC, Magno, Duelo and Hibiki were gathered in the briefing room, discussion the 'dream' the two pilots had had.

"Hmmm... this is... disturbing, at least." Magno said thoughtfully, resting her chin on her hands. "And you are sure, that the Paksis has nothing to do with this?"

Duelo looked at the Captain, shaking his head "I haven't noticed anything strange about the Paksis, although Parfait would be more suitable, to find out _if_ there was something."

"The problem is, that she, Dita, Jura and Misty still are on Mejere, together with Barnette." BC said "We should call them back immediately."

"I don't know what exactly is going on, but I too would like to have everyone aboard, should we need to sortie." Meia agreed.

"Well, then let's c-..." Magno started, but stopped as her eyes fell onto Hibiki "Is something wrong, young one?"

Everyone turned their attention towards the boy, who looked pale, if only slightly. He shook his head slowly, but it was obvious that something bothered him.

"Did Meia forget to mention anything, about this dream? Or perhaps, do you know why you couldn't see each other?" the captain asked the young pilot, who gulped.

"No... she didn't forget anything... but... I think I know why we couldn't see the other..." Hibiki hesitantly answered "Meia... you said you saw that from above, right?"

"Yes." came the short reply from the dread-leader.

"Well... I didn't..." the vanguard pilot said "I... was _inside_ that guy..."

The captain's eyes widened, as if she realized something, but before anyone could say a word, Ezra's voice spoke up over the inter-comm.

"Captain! We've received a distress-call from a ship called "Sunrise" from the Navy of Melan! They're being boarded by some strange things!" she exclaimed, as she patched the communication line through to the briefing room.

All they could hear, were explosions, men and women screaming, someone talking in the front, possibly the one who send out the call, but it was too noisy to understand a single word. However, there was one sound, that could be heard over all the noise. A loud, terrifying screech, then the line collapsed.

Meia paled, recognizing the sound they just had heard, while Hibiki grabbed his stomach with a groan, and threw up, sliding out of his seat. The moment his body touched the floor, he was already unconscious.

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R&R please!

Until next time!


End file.
